The All Democratic Alliance (ADA) rejects a Federal High Court ruling ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the party’s registration access code to a rival faction led by Chief Akin Ricketts. According to reports from multiple outlets, ADA says the judgment effectively hands control to people it describes as “outsiders” who it argues no longer have authority within the party, alleging the Ricketts group has defected to another political party. ADA also says the leadership it recognizes has already been communicated to INEC, and that INEC acknowledges the Prince Uche Secondus- and Dr Umar Ardo-led National Executive Committee as legitimate leadership.
The court order in Abuja directs INEC to generate and release the code within a specified period and reopen the registration portal for a limited time. The court also nullifies documents submitted by Dr Umar Ardo and rules that Ardo is not the recognized protem chairman or secretary. ADA maintains that INEC’s action would reopen a registration process that it says is already concluded. ADA says its lawyers have filed an application for a stay of execution and a notice of appeal, seeking reversal at the Court of Appeal.
